Steve Alexander

Basketball Daily Dose

Dose: Beam Me Out, Scotty

The Lakers and their injury situation ruled the headlines on Monday, but got trumped around 1 a.m. Tuesday morning, when most of you were sleeping, with news breaking that Scott Skiles is no longer the coach of the Bucks, and “hated his team,” according to a friend of Skiles' in a tweet from Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowski. First of all, the fact Skiles hated his team is kind of amusing, especially when we have ripped on him for years for being such a fantasy-unfriendly coach. If you hate the team you’re coaching, it makes sense that rotations and playing time would be a mess. While it’s clearly too early to figure out exactly what a new coach in Milwaukee means (Jim Boylan is the interim), this is going to create some very interesting scenarios for guys like Ersan Ilyasova, Larry Sanders, John Henson, Mike Dunleavy and Samuel Dalembert.

Ilyasova missed his last game with an ankle injury but practiced on Monday, leaving him probable for Tuesday. Now let’s see if he actually shows up and does anything for a new coach. My guess is that this is just what Ilyasova needed to happen to have a chance to get things turned around, but it’s far from guaranteed. But if he’s available in your league, now’s the time to find a way to grab him and see how this plays out. If Boylan throws him into the starting five (where he belongs), look out. I would guess Dunleavy and Sanders should continue to post similar numbers to what they’ve been doing thus far, although that could change if Boylan decides he doesn’t hate Sammy D. If Dalembert becomes relevant, it will hurt Sanders, but that’s a big ‘if.’ I’m also nervous that Henson was a “Skiles guy,” and could take a hit under a new coach. I’ve got him locked in a few lineups for the rest of this week, so I’m guessing we’ll have an answer to most of these questions by Sunday night. Stay tuned.

Good news for Lakers fans who like bad news

The first news blurb posted on Monday morning detailed an account of Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard getting into it after a New Year’s Day loss to the Sixers, and then suggested that Howard could end up in Brooklyn if the Lakers feel forced to trade him. All it will take for things to get right in L.A. is for the Lakers to start playing well, which would probably make Dwight and Kobe happy. But if it doesn’t happen and it becomes clear that Dwight won’t re-sign (although given his track record, it’s unclear if he’ll actually give them an honest answer to the question), the Lakers could be forced to trade him, and Brooklyn would be a logical landing pad.

But that wasn’t the only news out of LaLa land on Monday. A cut nose for Pau Gasol on Sunday surprisingly resulted in a concussion, and he’s not even traveling for their two-game road trip, and may not play all week. Meanwhile, Howard’s shoulder MRI turned up a torn labrum and he’ll miss at least a week, and is listed as out indefinitely. And all of this means that Antawn Jamison is suddenly relevant/must-own again, especially with Jordan Hill (hip) also hurting for the Lakers and not expected to play this week, while Jodie Meeks is also going to see more run. What would really make this whole Kobe/Nash/Dwight/Metta/Pau/D’Antoni/Lakers thing interesting is if they were to go on a tear with the big men all hurt. I’m hoping it happens, just to be able to watch D’Antoni say things like: “Even though we’ve won eight straight games without Dwight and Pau, we would have won all eight games if they were still in the lineup.” And then start cursing at writers questioning his sanity, while also saying that Dwight's free throw shooting is not a problem. Not to mention the second-guessing and basic chaos that would ensue if the Lakers somehow play better without Dwight and Pau. I'm not saying it will happen, but it would be a good time if it did.

Bynum still optimistic

Onto other news, a former Laker, Andrew Bynum, is still optimistic that he’ll play this season, but, of course, still has no target date for a return from his 80-year-old sore knees. When he’s finally back, it could be slow rolling for the big man, if it even happens. I’m not holding my breath.

Like Lakers, Wolves all banged up

Ricky Rubio practiced on Monday and should play on Tuesday after missing time with a back injury. It should be interesting to see how it impacts J.J. Barea, who I am still holding. Nikola Pekovic is iffy for Tuesday due to a hip injury, but my guess is he’s going to play. Kevin Love will meet with a specialist in New York this week to determine if he needs right hand surgery. If he does, his season could be toast, and if he doesn’t, I don’t expect to see him before the break. I dropped him in a daily league and still have him in a couple weeklies. Both Derrick Williams and Dante Cunningham are worth adding in most leagues for now.

Sick Parsons Project

Chandler Parsons missed Rockets’ practice with an illness on Monday, leaving him a little iffy for Tuesday’s game against the Lakers. My guess is he’ll play.

Scott Skiles out as Bucks coach

The Lakers and their injury situation ruled the headlines on Monday, but got trumped around 1 a.m. Tuesday morning, when most of you were sleeping, with news breaking that Scott Skiles is no longer the coach of the Bucks, and “hated his team,” according to a friend of Skiles' in a tweet from Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowski. First of all, the fact Skiles hated his team is kind of amusing, especially when we have ripped on him for years for being such a fantasy-unfriendly coach. If you hate the team you’re coaching, it makes sense that rotations and playing time would be a mess. While it’s clearly too early to figure out exactly what a new coach in Milwaukee means (Jim Boylan is the interim), this is going to create some very interesting scenarios for guys like Ersan Ilyasova, Larry Sanders, John Henson, Mike Dunleavy and Samuel Dalembert.

Ilyasova missed his last game with an ankle injury but practiced on Monday, leaving him probable for Tuesday. Now let’s see if he actually shows up and does anything for a new coach. My guess is that this is just what Ilyasova needed to happen to have a chance to get things turned around, but it’s far from guaranteed. But if he’s available in your league, now’s the time to find a way to grab him and see how this plays out. If Boylan throws him into the starting five (where he belongs), look out. I would guess Dunleavy and Sanders should continue to post similar numbers to what they’ve been doing thus far, although that could change if Boylan decides he doesn’t hate Sammy D. If Dalembert becomes relevant, it will hurt Sanders, but that’s a big ‘if.’ I’m also nervous that Henson was a “Skiles guy,” and could take a hit under a new coach. I’ve got him locked in a few lineups for the rest of this week, so I’m guessing we’ll have an answer to most of these questions by Sunday night. Stay tuned.

Good news for Lakers fans who like bad news

The first news blurb posted on Monday morning detailed an account of Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard getting into it after a New Year’s Day loss to the Sixers, and then suggested that Howard could end up in Brooklyn if the Lakers feel forced to trade him. All it will take for things to get right in L.A. is for the Lakers to start playing well, which would probably make Dwight and Kobe happy. But if it doesn’t happen and it becomes clear that Dwight won’t re-sign (although given his track record, it’s unclear if he’ll actually give them an honest answer to the question), the Lakers could be forced to trade him, and Brooklyn would be a logical landing pad.

But that wasn’t the only news out of LaLa land on Monday. A cut nose for Pau Gasol on Sunday surprisingly resulted in a concussion, and he’s not even traveling for their two-game road trip, and may not play all week. Meanwhile, Howard’s shoulder MRI turned up a torn labrum and he’ll miss at least a week, and is listed as out indefinitely. And all of this means that Antawn Jamison is suddenly relevant/must-own again, especially with Jordan Hill (hip) also hurting for the Lakers and not expected to play this week, while Jodie Meeks is also going to see more run. What would really make this whole Kobe/Nash/Dwight/Metta/Pau/D’Antoni/Lakers thing interesting is if they were to go on a tear with the big men all hurt. I’m hoping it happens, just to be able to watch D’Antoni say things like: “Even though we’ve won eight straight games without Dwight and Pau, we would have won all eight games if they were still in the lineup.” And then start cursing at writers questioning his sanity, while also saying that Dwight's free throw shooting is not a problem. Not to mention the second-guessing and basic chaos that would ensue if the Lakers somehow play better without Dwight and Pau. I'm not saying it will happen, but it would be a good time if it did.

Bynum still optimistic

Onto other news, a former Laker, Andrew Bynum, is still optimistic that he’ll play this season, but, of course, still has no target date for a return from his 80-year-old sore knees. When he’s finally back, it could be slow rolling for the big man, if it even happens. I’m not holding my breath.

Like Lakers, Wolves all banged up

Ricky Rubio practiced on Monday and should play on Tuesday after missing time with a back injury. It should be interesting to see how it impacts J.J. Barea, who I am still holding. Nikola Pekovic is iffy for Tuesday due to a hip injury, but my guess is he’s going to play. Kevin Love will meet with a specialist in New York this week to determine if he needs right hand surgery. If he does, his season could be toast, and if he doesn’t, I don’t expect to see him before the break. I dropped him in a daily league and still have him in a couple weeklies. Both Derrick Williams and Dante Cunningham are worth adding in most leagues for now.

Sick Parsons Project

Chandler Parsons missed Rockets’ practice with an illness on Monday, leaving him a little iffy for Tuesday’s game against the Lakers. My guess is he’ll play.

Rajon Rondo was suspended for Monday’s game after making contact with an official, but the Celtics still beat the Knicks in a game that featured a mini-fracas between Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Garnett, and reports surfaced that Melo had to be restrained outside the Celtics’ locker room after the game, and then video surfaced of Melo waiting outside the Celtics’ bus (with a boatload of security) for KG. Good stuff, and while I doubt it results in a suspension, it easily could given Melo’s history. What would have happened if Melo had gotten ahold of KG last night? Remember this back-pedal job, oddly enough, against the Knicks in 2006?

Avery Bradley had 13 points, five dimes and a 3-pointer in the win for the Celtics, but I’m still not taking the bait – especially since Rondo was out. Garnett and Paul Pierce also both played well in the win, while Jason Terry was terrible, despite starting for Rondo. He’s a drop candidate if you have someone you want to pick up.

For the Knicks, J.R. Smith, who wants to be the Sixth Man of the Year, as well as an All-Star, backed up the talk with 24 points and another full stat line that included four 3-pointers. Not to toot my own horn, but I was all about J.R. for the Knicks entering the season, and it’s nice to see him living up to the hype. He also received 11 stitches in his forehead after a collision with Bradley, but I’d be shocked if he doesn’t play on Thursday. And finally, it was Smith playing peacemaker between KG and Melo, which says a lot about how far he’s come.

Wizards shock Thunder

Nene (right knee) and Jordan Crawford (ankle) were out for the Wizards, which helped explain Crawford’s disappearing act on Sunday night. Both are day-to-day. Trevor Ariza was back in action from an extended absence with a left calf injury, while A.J. Price also returned from a right hand injury. Ariza had three points on 1-of-6 shooting, but is worth keeping an eye on as he works his way back into form and toward the starting lineup. Price had four points, five rebounds and five assists in 16 minutes, and his return should end the fantasy run for Garrett Temple (while Shelvin Mack was cut). Martell Webster had a season-high 22 points with four 3-pointers, but they were shorthanded, and Ariza’s return isn’t going to do him any favors. With Nene out, Kevin Seraphin stayed hot and had 19 points and five boards in 38 minutes, and should be scooped up in most leagues right now. Emeka Okafor also enjoyed Nene’s absence with 12 points, 12 boards and two blocks, and is another guy worth holding after this two-game week passes. Bradley Beal stayed hot with 22 points, five rebounds, four assists, a steal and five 3-pointers, and also hit the game-winning shot as the Wiz shocked the Thunder. As I’ve been saying, Beal is a must-own player until further notice.

Serge Ibaka torched the Wizards for 26 points, 11 rebounds, two blocks and another 3-pointer, but the Thunder lost to Washington in the end. Ibaka has somehow hit a 3-pointer in three of his last four games, and I’m still trying to wrap my head around that fact.

Hornets beat Spurs

The Spurs lost to the Hornets, as Danny Green missed all five of his shots and Kawhi Leonard added 10 points, two 3-pointers, three rebounds, a steal and a block in 31 minutes. Both guys are starting and while that’s a much better line from Leonard than we’ve seen lately, I’m still not rushing out to see if I can pick him up. He plays for Pop and simply hasn’t done enough this season to make me think he’s suddenly going to explode soon. If you have room to stash him, fine.

For the Hornets, Anthony Davis bounced back from an odd benching and had 17 points, nine rebounds, three steals and a block in 26 minutes, and I am really hoping this is the start of a hot streak for the rookie. Greivis Vasquez was at it again with another double-double, while Eric Gordon had 24 points and zero 3-pointers on 9-of-22 shooting in the win. He’s starting and deserves to be in fantasy lineups, but I’m still tentatively awaiting that next “Gordon suffering from knee pain” blurb to come our way at some point down the line. Al-Farouq Aminu had four points, 10 boards, three steals and a block in 37 minutes, and is officially back in the good graces of Monty Williams. He’s worth a look in deeper leagues as long as the minutes are there, and has been relevant in four straight games now.

Bulls drop Cavs

The Cavaliers fell to the Bulls on Monday when C.J. Miles had 15 points, two steals and four 3-pointers before leaving the game with back spasms. As someone who pick-and-plugged Miles into a couple lineups for four games this week, I am both thrilled and concerned right now. Hopefully he doesn’t miss much time, if any. Dion Waiters had 18 points and six boards in the loss, while Tristan Thompson stayed hot with 14 points, eight boards, a steal and a block. Anderson Varejao could play on Wednesday, which would hurt Thompson and Tyler Zeller.

For the Bulls, Carlos Boozer has now racked up five straight double-doubles with 24 & 11 last night, and he’s averaging 23 points and 12 boards during that stretch. Joakim Noah also double-doubled with 11 points, 11 boards and four blocks, and you don’t see them do that on the same night very often. Nate Robinson also played well off the bench with 14 points, seven dimes and three 3-pointers in 24 minutes, and remains a guy I’d recommend stashing until further notice. Kirk Hinrich can’t stay healthy all year, can he? Taj Gibson somehow had 18 points, seven boards, a steal and two blocks off the bench, but don’t expect him to do this very often when Noah and Boozer are playing well.

Kings blown out by Grizzlies

Tyreke Evans returned for the Kings, while Marcus Thornton is set to come back sometime this week from a sprained ankle. Thornton was likely dumped in some leagues by owners desperate for games, and he should be worth a pickup once he’s ready to roll. Evans had five points in 12 minutes off the bench, but isn’t under a playing time restriction with his knee injury. Isaiah Thomas was terrible again, hitting 2-of-12 shots for nine points in 29 minutes, while Aaron Brooks had eight points and one assist in 23 minutes. Neither of them is fun to own right now, and I’ve just about given up on IT2. John Salmons had 17 points and three 3-pointers, but will start to take a hit once Evans is back up to speed. Proceed with caution.

The Grizzlies won easily despite Rudy Gay struggling for eight points on 2-of-10 shooting, while Wayne Ellington blew up for a career-high 26 points and six 3-pointers on 10-of-11 shooting. There’s no need to panic on Gay, nor run out and pick up Ellington at this point.

Blazers top Magic

Jameer Nelson stayed super hot with 21 points and 12 assists (and hit just 2-of-12 3-pointers) to become the Magic’s all-time leader in assists, passing none other than Scotty Skiles. Nikola Vucevic stayed hot with 17 points, 13 boards and a block, while J.J. Redick blew up for 29 points and six treys off the bench. Hedo Turkoglu failed to score in five minutes. Enough said.

As usual, the Blazers starting five went off (four double-doubles) and the bench did nothing. Rinse, repeat.

Jazz beat Mavs

Marvin Williams was suffering from a sore knee (again), which allowed Gordon Hayward to go off for one of his better games of the season with 27 points, six boards, five assists and four 3-pointers on 8-of-14 shooting in 34 minutes. Maybe the Jazz will figure out that they’re a better team with Hayward on the floor instead of Marvin. Maybe. The Paul Millsap vs. Derrick Favors nightly battle was won by Millsap tonight, with 14 points and nine boards in 35 minutes, while Favors played just 13 minutes for four points, four boards and five fouls. Hope for a trade if you own either player.

Steve "Dr. A" Alexander is the senior editor for the NBA for Rotoworld.com and a contributor to NBCSports.com. The 2017-18 NBA season marks (at least) his 16th year of covering fantasy hoops for Rotoworld. Follow him on Twitter - @Docktora.Email :Steve Alexander